Remembrance ceremony held in Music Building

An atmosphere of recognition and reflection filled the Finney Concert Hall last Sunday evening, as students, faculty and community members gathered for the Lions Remember ceremony to mark the 10^th anniversary of Sept. 11.

The event, organized by the Lions Remember Committee, began with a welcome from President Dan Jones.

"Ten years ago, our nation suffered death and destruction seen normally in war time, and there has been a great bustle in our nations house since that time," he said. "Tonight is a night to take love down off the shelf and to affirm that the love that we have for all of those who perished, and who labor still, will endure forever."

Jones said he, like many Americans, remembers much about where he was and what was going through his mind on Sept. 11 ten years ago.

"I think the thing I remember the most about that day is when I was driving home," he said, "the same route I had taken hundreds of times before, the same streets, the same familiar sights and neighborhoods had all changed. It wasn't the appearance of the neighborhoods that changed, but everything was different. Everything had been rendered inexplicably strange by this incomprehensible event thousands of miles away."

Nathan Harness, assistant professor of accounting and economics at A&M-Commerce, has a profound memory of that day, as he was actually working inside tower two of the World Trade Center. Harness was 22 and on his third day of work as a stockbroker when terrorists used jet planes to attack and eventually level the iconic New York City skyscrapers. He shared his story with the audience.

"As I went into work that morning, it seemed like an average day, just like today, yet it wasn't at the same time," he said. "I worked in tower two on the 61^st floor, and I remember that morning looking out and thinking to myself ‘I've never been up this high before.'"

Harness reflected on the sense of uncertainty as he and his coworkers descended down each flight of stairs. When he reached the 44^th floor, the second plan hit tower two.

"It was almost like time stood still," Harness said. "I don't know if you've ever had a near death experience, but for me that was a first. I remember extreme fear at first, just being very scared. Then angry, almost; angry that I was only twenty-two years old and stuck in this place and that I would just end up as a name on a monument somewhere."

His feelings of anger and fear eventually turned into one of determination. Upon exiting the tower and making his way to the street, Harness recalls having to run out from underneath the towers through flying debris and windows that had popped out of place dozens of stories overhead. Once he was out, Harness said the only feeling he had once he got out was to get as far away from the towers as possible.

After Harness spoke, the feature premier of the film "Rebirth," directed by Jim Whitaker, was shown on a projection screen. It follows survivors and the loved ones of victims as they slowly rebuild their lives alongside the redevelopment of Ground Zero.

After Student Government Association President Adria Green lead the audience in a moment of silence, the University Chorale performed "An American Hymn" and "Hope." Then members of the audience that belonged to the armed forces, police and the fire department were recognized in the spirit of the brave individuals who gave their lives on Sept. 11.

Green said she thought everything at the event fit nicely with the occasion.

"I think the atmosphere was perfect," Green said. "The spirit of hope was there. The movie, Rebirth, of course was perfect. Everything aligned. The chorale, the administrative staff, the students, everything was perfect."

The event gave students a chance to remember the tragic day together, Green said.

"It's important, I think, because we are surrounded by people that we don't know but might have been affected by this," she said. "It helps ease some of the pain in remembering if someone has been through or has been impacted. It's about having that support system there, people coming together as a unit; of course, there's power in numbers, but there's also power in one, in unity. I think it's very important for students to remember, not necessarily just the tragedy, but to be hopeful that ten years later, we're still standing."

As the audience made their way out of the Music Building, they were greeted with ‘USA' spelled out in lights on the side of Whitley Hall, something that was done immediately following Sept. 11 back in 2001.